1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a water valve. More specifically, the present invention relates to a valve assembly and an associated system for increasing water density and improving the accuracy of a water meter.
2. Description of the Background Art
The use of airflow regulating assembly is known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. App. 2009/0289207 to Barreda discloses a valve assembly that is adapted to be disposed within a water supply line. The valve assembly is structured to reduce or significantly eliminate the passage of air, separate from water flow, through the meter. The valve body includes a sealing structure which is biased under a predetermined force into sealing relation with an inlet of the interior channel. The predetermined force is sufficient to prevent displacement of the sealing structure out of the sealing relation with the inlet, but insufficient to prevent displacement of the sealing structure when force from a normal water flow is exerted thereon. As a result, any air flow within the water supply line will be compressed or otherwise disbursed and prevented from passing, independently, through the meter, thereby preventing unnecessary charges being made to the metered facility.
Although the device of Barreda is sufficient to achieve its stated objective, it is lacking in many respects. The valve assembly of Barreda is needlessly complex with an excess number of moving parts. Moreover, the number of interconnected moving parts requires the device to be lubricated. This lubrication can result in the contamination of the associated drinking water. The system of Mauricio is also problematic insomuch as its valve assembly must be installed upstream of the meter assembly. Retrofitting a valve assembly upstream of a water meter poses several logical, legal, and safety related issues. The system of the present invention is aimed at overcoming these and other shortcomings of the Mauricio device.